CAPE TOWN - To say that Dillyn Leyds has had a great season is an understatement.
The Stormers utility back had quite some time to make up for, after missing out on the greater part of last season after sustaining a knee injury early last year. And boy, has he done that.
He was good before his injury in 2016, and he has been even better this year.
It all started when the Stormers went up against their age-old rivals, the Bulls, at Newlands in round one. Leyds played his part in a superb season-opening performance by the Stormers, and fast-forward to the 17th round, he ended his Super Rugby round-robin season the same way he started it - in fine form.
At the weekend, Leyds was massive with ball in hand again and absolutely devastating on the counter-attack. His defence-crumbling break in opposition 22 laid the foundation for loose forward Sikhumbuzo Notshe’s try, and he also ran a great angle to blitz past Bulls defenders and score the try that regained the lead for Robbie Fleck’s team. He also gave a top offload to flyhalf Damian Willemse to put him away for the try.
But there was so much more that happened before that last game at Loftus. So much more that proved that he has been in outstanding form.
I mean, just think back to his season. In the first few rounds, he was a top performer. Remember the solo try he scored in the Stormers’ defeat to the Lions?
Or that stunning, back-hand offload against the Chiefs at Newlands that put SP Marais away for his try.
That was spectacular. And as brilliant as it was, it was not, at all, an isolated moment of glory for the former Western Force back.
undefinedHe even stepped into the flyhalf position when the Stormers were injury struck at No 10 for the tour to New Zealand, and he kept his cool. He was thrown in there, and it doesn’t get any tougher than facing the Crusaders, Highlanders and Hurricanes in their own back yard.
From his isolated stints at fullback this year to his top efforts on the wing, the 24-year-old fully deserved that Springbok call-up against France last month.
But if you look at just how good he’s been, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that he deserved more than just a call-up that resulted in a few minutes during the series whitewash.
He has been good when he stood in at fullback and he’s been devastating out wide. He has created something out of nothing and he has showed just how potent he is in broken play (you don’t even have to think too far back, just think of his performances against the Cheetahs, Sunwolves and Bulls in the last few weeks to visualise what I’m saying).
2017 has been a good year for Dillyn Leyds. And if he can end it on a high this weekend, with a performance that follows up on what he’s put on show until now, I can’t see him not being in the Bok set-up come the Rugby Championship. This time, though, he should just get a better chance to take his Super Rugby magic to the international arena.
We just 3 kids from Strand, tryna live out our dreams🙌💯 #Reppin
A post shared by Dillyn Leyds (@dill_l8s) on Jul 1, 2017 at 10:53am PDT